The past two years have been especially hard on the people of Bangladesh, due to ongoing issues with the coronavirus. As everything was locked down in Dhaka, people went back to their home villages where there was insufficient work and food for all of them, so there was no means of earning money either in the city or in the villages. With no possibility of furlough payments, people had to get by as best as they could, often struggling to survive for the past 2 years without any source of income at all.

The last microcredit programme (of the three that Nijera Shikhi ran) had to close during the pandemic, so the only work that Nijera Shikhi is now doing is running the John P Hastings School in Adabar, Dhaka. As it has existed for over ten years, it has a very good reputation in the neighbourhood.

The John P Hastings School reopened in January after an easing of Government restrictions. The two teachers were very happy to be back at work, and the school currently has 54 students, 29 girls and 25 boys in the 6 classes that are running on a shift basis, to make the most of the space available. New books were obtained from the Primary Education department for all the students in January.

We report a change in staffing at Nijera Shikhi:
Professor Suraiya Siddiquy is dropping her role of executive secretary – many thanks to her for all that she has done over many years.
Md. Abdul Hamid is the new Executive secretary, previously he was the treasurer
Professor Rezia Salam will be chair of the Board – she has been involved with Nijera Shikhi since its inception and has previously been the Executive Secretary.
​
As NS has insufficient funds to pay for the office in Dhaka, and there are no employees left, the contents of the office has moved to Savar, under the supervision of Md Hamid , where no rent will have to be paid.

The Microcredit Regulatory Authority (MRA) rules state that organisations have to have a minimum of 50 lakh taka to keep the projects open. As NS does not have such large amounts of money, all three Revolving Loan Programmes (RLP) have had to close, with a loss of 9 lakh taka still out on loan.

All the employees of Nijera Shikhi have been laid off due to the closing of the three revolving Loan programmes in Jessore and Satkhira, the toll of Coronavirus, and the closing of the office in Dhaka.